Polly McGarry speaks before the White Street Task Force, blaming the third lane for increasing the danger for pedestrians crossing White Street in Danbury. The public hearing was held at the Western Connecticut State University's midtown campus in 2012. less

Polly McGarry speaks before the White Street Task Force, blaming the third lane for increasing the danger for pedestrians crossing White Street in Danbury. The public hearing was held at the Western Connecticut ... more

DANBURY -- Pedestrians older than 60 in Danbury and the rest of Fairfield County face more than three times the risk of being struck and killed by cars as younger state residents, according to a new analysis of federal highway accident data.

The analysis, which was based on National Highway Traffic Administration figures and was released this week, found that 31 out of the 75 pedestrian deaths in 14 cities and towns in Fairfield County from 2003 to 2012 were people over the age of 60, a disproportionate number relative to the 18.2 percent of the county's population made up of residents 60 or older, the analysis conducted by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign concluded.

"We have a large concentration of elderly people living on Main Street, and that's why we have safety patrol units in the area making sure seniors can cross the street safely," he said Friday.

Boughton said on any given day, four officers from the police department's Traffic Safety Team patrol Main Street on motorcycles looking for distracted and speeding drivers. The officers also keep an eye on pedestrians crossing the street.

The city plans to step up its enforcement patrols by adding three more officers later this year.

"It's a concern for us and we are investing in proactive enforcement," Boughton said.

The city made safety improvements on a section of White Street after Lin, a 19-year-old Brookfield resident, was struck and killed crossing the street in November 2011.

Boughton said crosswalks were relocated, flashing lights were installed and a second crosswalk was added on the busy, three-lane road between the university's parking garage and Fifth Avenue.

Overall, the analysis by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign concluded that Connecticut -- along with New York and New Jersey -- should increase dedicated funding to revamp crosswalks in areas with a large number of senior citizens and transit stops.

"Only New Haven has a Complete Streets policy or ordinance and we'd like to see more communities in Connecticut follow suit," said Joseph Cutrufo, Connecticut advocate for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

The great majority of pedestrian deaths and injuries result from victims crossing outside the crosswalk, disobeying a signal or disregarding safety, Nursick said.

"The failures of most users to obey the most basic of those laws ... is the driving force behind the vast majority of all crashes and incidents involving motorists, pedestrians and cyclists," Nursick said.